


WEEPING WILLOWS

by Jackieshalom02



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst and Romance, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Elves, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fellowship of the Ring, Friends to Lovers, Gandalf Ships It, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Gimli/Legolas Greenleaf, Middle Earth, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Orcs, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:54:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28437981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackieshalom02/pseuds/Jackieshalom02
Summary: "The earth is littered with the ruins of empires that believed they were eternal."Lord of the RingsAragorn x fem!oc(The fellowship of the ring - The return of the king)Slow burn
Relationships: Aragorn | Estel & Original Female Character(s), Aragorn | Estel/Original Female Character(s), The Fellowship of the Ring & Original Character(s), The Fellowship of the Ring/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> INTRODUCTION.

**Long ago, Middle-earth was once filled with an startling array of strange but wonderful creatures, magical beings that drew their powers from the ground that rested below their shoe-less feet, gathering their strengths from the earth, but never taking too much, just enough to survive and thrive and live together inside their symphony of harmony. These beings, powerful and peaceful but most of all gentle, were called faerie.**

**They were creatures that blossomed in the light but faded in the dark, filled with mischief and kindness and an appetite for the foods they grew with green-tinted fingers and bright eyes. Elusive to the outside world, and more content in sharing their safety together, ignoring the rest of the earth, the places filled with strife and war and destruction and being ignored in return. But how were the faerie to know that that ignorance would become their devastation.**

**Many centuries later, these beings would become nothing more than a myth spoken on parents tongue's to their sleepy-eyed children, a legend that tales would be created out of, their appearances becoming exaggerated, the abilities downsized until there was hardly anything left of them at all. But, as you may see, legends are but slippery little things, for the glory, the imagination, and the stories that coat them hides the pain, suffering and death that spun them.**

**The line of faerie may be dispersed, gone with the winds and howling its sorrow in the night, but that didn't mean it was ever truly gone. It didn't mean it couldn't be reborn once again. Life would always find away, and sure enough...it did.**

**Gandalf the grey knew of the faerie that haunted the woods outside of his home, he may not of been alive to see them, but even he knew that myths were born of something that was there many moons ago. And yet, in the dead of night, when it seemed the earth itself was sleeping, a startling cry rumbled through the forest, awakening the man from his slumber and causing him to rush through to trees, where he would find the strangest of sights.**

**Hidden beneath the green, with the roots of a large willow tree curling around it gently, protecting precious cargo, was a babe. The old man, weary and confused but alert and powerful had knelt beside it, cooing every so often when it began to cry, looking out through the darkness and waiting for someone to claim it. He waited...and waited...and waited. But no one ever showed, and so, he simply took the young child with him, dark brows furrowed as he rocked it against his chest as he stared into her gentle eyes, and being struck with a name that had brought a smile upon his lips.**

**"Eden."**

**It had only been years later that he realised just what the girl that he had saved that night was, when the earth and the trees and the plants below themselves bended to her every whim and desire with respective grace, thundering boulders, blooming petals and groaning trees, all bowing to this one girl that he had taken under his wing. The last of her kind, the faerie of the moors.**

**☆**  
**○**  
**☆**

_**"JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE SOFT, DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE WEAK. HONEY AND WILDFIRE GLOW THE SAME COLOUR OF GOLD."** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Took him long enough."

**Hobbits were strange creatures, Eden had found out, well, perhaps** ** _strange_** **was too unkind of a word, simple might of been a better way** **to** **describe them, though not in the sense that they were not very wise (which, unfortunately most were).** They were simple in the way they didn't seem to care much for the outside world, instead they liked to focus on the more _important_ things In life, such as to eat until their hearts were content, and to smoke and to drink and to tend to their gardens, which even she could appreciate. 

They truly were _immaculate_ gardens. 

So, yes, hobbits were simply...simple. And Eden found that she quite liked that about them, which was probably due to the fact that compared to the chaos of her every day life with Gandalf, arguing with Mrs. Sackville-baggins for the third time that **day** about who grew the best potatoes, seemed so tame and safe. _Then again,_ the young girl would much rather fight an orc than that vile hobbit, as least orcs knew not to grab people by the hair.

Most of the time, the shire is where she'd be found. And it just so happens that _that_ is where she was on this day, having arrived a few days prior for a certain Baggin's birthday, to help with the decorations and such. Well, help was a strong word, she was sure most hobbits would argue that pranking the Sackville-baggsinses with Merry Branybuck and Pippin Took, was not their idea of a helping hand.

But, it seemed to amuse Bilbo Baggins greatly, so why would they stop it? It was the man's _birthday_ after all.

Speaking of which, said Hobbit had been very secretive lately, his head full of grey curls bent over a book and scribbling away, muttering under his breath as he lost himself into the words, the stories he was creating, unaware that the world was continuing to move around him.

In fact, Eden was pretty sure he had no clue she was there as she watched him from the safety of the kitchen, stroking alongside a rose bud and grinning as it bloomed to her gentle touch. For a moment she wondered if she should scare him, but then remembering the last time she had tried, the hobbit, in a cluster of panic had thrown a book at her, his aim ringing true as he'd clocked it right off of her head. She'd had that bruise for weeks.

So instead, she simply stood there, petting the rose which leaned towards her, soaking up her affection as she looked out the window, watching as hobbits walked past the home with their arms full of decorations, until a loud knock broke through the peaceful silence. She paused, dark brows furrowing as Bilbo yelled over his shoulder, "Frodo! Someone at the door," before placing his head back down towards his book.

Eden rolled her eyes, as she moved closer to the window, pressing the front of her body against the sink as she tried to see who was at the door, not wanting to risk opening it in case it was Mr. Grubbs, coming to collect her for a punishment as she was sure Pippin had ratted her out by now, telling the old hobbit it had been her idea to shrink his prize-winning pumpkins to the size of a pea.

There was another knock, alot louder than the first causing Eden to swallow nervously, she had a really bad feeling about this, however the insistent noise did cause Bilbo to sag into his chair, before perking right back up in annoyance, a scowl on his face.

"Frodo, the door! Sticklebacks. Where is that boy?" He asked himself, pushing away from his desk to stand up with a groan, rubbing the small of his back that had grown achy with his old age turning around to look further into his home, only to let out a sharp yell when Eden popped around the corner with a bright grin, golden eyes alight with mischief. "Shall we make a guess?"

"Eden! Don't scare me like that." Bilbo gasped, his heart racing inside his chest, feeling as though it was about to burst from his ribcage as he sucked in precious air, his eyes wide and frantic before giving the young girl a cross look, standing straight with his hands on his hips. "I thought _you_ were out causing terror with Merry and Pippin?"

"We were, until they got caught by Mr. Grubbs, Oh, how they will be missed." She said, pretending to wipe a tear from her glowing eyes, but the small smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth gave away just how amused about the situation she was. Bilbo let out a sigh, trying to keep his stern appearance but thinking about the old hobbits face as he unleashed whatever prank they had placed, caused him to let out several small giggles, Eden eventually joining in once she was sure it was no trick.

"Honestly Eden, I'll never know just how Gandalf has dealt with you for all these years. Now, pray tell, where is our little bookworm?"

"Probably sitting in his favourite field and doing exactly what his name suggests..."

"Reading." The two said in union, the young girls tone coated in amusement, while Bilbo said it in exasperation, the young hobbit had been slacking on his chores for weeks now to read his blasted book, though, Bilbo supposed he had no leg to stand on, he was almost the exact same. "What am I going to do with that boy?"

"We could always make a delightful stew with him, I have just the recipe." Eden quipped with a large smile planted on her face, strolling into the kitchen with Bilbo just behind her, shaking his head with a sigh as he stared up at the tall girl, weaving her way through his short home which came from years of experience dodging low hanging lights and door frames. "I never quite know when you're joking."

Just as Eden went to make herself a cup of tea after handing the old Hobbit his, the forgotten guest at the door knocked loudly once more, the noise more aggressive than the others were before. Eden sighed, before looking down at her short friend as he took a sip of the warm liquid. "Would you like me to see who it is?" She asked with some hesitation, hoping that it wasn't who she was dreading it could be.

"If you would, my dear."

" **BILBO BAGGINS**!"

They both gasped, looking towards the door, recognising the foul and vicious voice as they grew impatient and started hammering at the door with their meaty fists. Bilbo quickly grabbed hold of the taller girls arm, dropping his tea onto the floor as he did so and yanking her behind one of his many bookshelves as they crouched down low, staring at each other with wide eyes. "Sackville-bagginses." They whispered in horrified union.

"I know you're in there!" She screamed, pounding against the door with a frenzied yell, she truly had never forgiven the poor hobbit for living this long, and seemingly still going strong.

"What do we do?" Bilbo moaned helplessly, licking his lips nervously as he tapped his large and hairy foot against the wooden floorboards. Unable to think of anything other than to hide as his heart beat quickened to match his anxious thoughts, _oh what a horrible birthday this was turning out to be._ Eden patted his hand reassuringly, risking peaking her head round the corner only to squeak when she caught sight of the hobbit looking through the window, before she moved back over to the door.

Eden furrowed her brows, chewing the bottom of her lip, exchanging another look with Bilbo as she quirked a brow, a mischievous glint in her golden eyes that promised nothing good. "Well, I could _always_...make them leave?"

"Oh, we couldn't...could we?"

Eden grinned, making the coast was clear once again before strolling over to the window stealthily, looking out to see the rather large side-profile of Bilbo's greatest nemesis, who was now going rather red in the face. She glanced to the side, looking at the willow tree to the hobbits left and sent it a soft secret smile, laying her hand against the window, green-tinted fingers spreading against the glass as she focused intently, her golden eyes glowing softly.

The tree suddenly jerked, as if coming to life as it quickly bent down, creaking and rumbling, and the shocked Sackville-bagginses barely had time to scream before it was snatching her up in its sturdy branches and hurling her into a pig pen some space away, where the mud rose up to meet her and break her fall.

Bilbo jogged lightly to the window, joining the girl and after seeing where the rude hobbit had ended up, began to laugh hysterically, slapping Eden on the back to show his appreciation as they dissolved into giggles, her hand braced on his shoulder as she snorted every few seconds. _Yes, what a wonderful birthday this would turn out to be._

Eden glanced at the old grandfather clock and gasped, quickly running to one of the back rooms where she'd been staying, throwing a smile over her shoulder to a shocked looking Bilbo. "I'm going to get changed! Your party starts in a few hours and I have to be there early to make sure the decorations are set!" Before slamming the door shut behind her, not hearing the hobbits chuckle as she opened a drawer and began pulling out her dark green skirt, shirt and brown corset, wrinkling her nose at them. They would have to do.

She quickly shrugged out of her pants and linen shirt, forgoing undoing the buttons and instead throwing it over her head, grunting with the struggle as it got stuck, quickly tugging the new clothes up her body, grabbing a spare bit of ribbon resting atop her bed to tie her hair back and out of her face, huffing as a few short strands refused to cooperate, instead brushing against the flushed skin of her cheek.

She then bent down, lowering herself onto her knees as she pushed her blankets further up her bed and grabbed hold of Bilbo's boxed present, tucking it under her arm and then throwing her coat over it, biting her lip to stop the excited smile from stretching across her face as she held it close.

All she had to do now was to get it to Bilbo's room and place it onto _his_ bed _without_ said hobbit it seeing her do so. Suddenly, there was another knock at the door that brought her to a stop. A very deep, simple knock that caused the young girl to look up sharply, golden eyes sparkling with delight. She'd know that very knock anywhere.

"No thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!" Bilbo yelled, not hearing as Eden peaked her head out of her temporary bedroom, rushing out when she noticed his back was turned and hurrying over to his bedroom, placing the present on his neat sheets with a grin. He'd need it for his...time away, and after all who didn't love a suprise?

"And what about very old friends?" A familar low voice asked, amusement shining through his voice as the door slowly opened and the old Hobbit stared up at his tall friend, his mouth opened in awed shock, eyes filling with tears. "Gandalf?" He whispered, disbelieving of the sight in front of him. After all, Eden _had_ told him that the wizard wasn't sure he was going to be able to make it on time to his party this year.

"Bilbo Baggins!"

"My dear Gandalf!" Bilbo cried, hobbling down the steps to lunge into the wizards arms who crouched down to meet him, pulling him close to his body with one, large arm, the other occupied holding his staff as he sighed into the warm embrace, the two chuckling into the others shoulder. 

"Good to see you. One hundred and eleven years old! Who would believe it?" Gandalf wondered, pulling back from the hug to gaze into his old friends eyes, his own squinting slightly as he took a closer look at the hobbit, his brows furrowed as he murmured a quiet, "You haven't aged a day." Before chuckling once again, patting the hobbits shoulder who smiled back, a somewhat shifty look in his eyes that quickly cleared as ran back inside, beckoning the wizard to follow while holding the door.

"Come on, come in! Welcome, welcome! Oh, here we are." Bilbo said, leaning up on the tips of his toes to take Gandalf's tall grey hat and staff, waking through the hall to lean then against a stand on the wall with the wizard just behind him, ducking to avoid the chandelier as he looked around the home, searching for a particular person. "Tea? Or maybe something a little stronger? I've got a few bottles of the Old Winyard left. 1296. Very good year. Almost as old as I am! Hahaha! It was laid down by my father. What say we open one, eh?"

"Just tea, thank you." Was all Gandalf was able to get out, before a weight crashing into his chest stole the very breath out of his lungs as arms were wrapped tightly around his neck. The old wizard was grateful he'd had the good sense to take his hat off before coming inside as he laughed loudly, stumbling back a few steps as his arms wrapped around the young girl waist.

"Eden! I was told you'd arrived here earlier. I hope you haven't been getting into any bother." He said seriously, though a sprinkle of amusement danced in his grey eyes as he bent down slightly, letting her out of the hug as she smiled up at him sheepishly.

"Oh Gandalf, as if Eden could ever be a bother. She's been helping me out with some rather annoying pests you know?" Bilbo shouted from the kitchen after he was finished laughing to himself as quietly as he could, popping his head from around the corner to give the girl a playful wink before going back inside as she visibly sagged in relief. 

"Is that right?" 

"Oh yes. I've been very helpful indeed, now if you'll excuse me. I have a party I need to help decorate." Eden said unconvincingly, her fingers crossed behind her back as she walked slowly around him, smiling brightly once more and then running out if the door as quickly as her legs could carry her, off to find Frodo and make sure everything in the party went to plan, leaving the door opened half-way behind her and only just catching first of their conversation. 

"Always in a rush that one. Now, I was expecting you sometime last week. Not that it matters. You come and go as you please. Always have done and always will..."   
_________________________________________________

A sizzling firework shot over their heads, bathing the sparkling night in bright glowing colours of apple greens and falling gently upon them with golden droplets, many lifting their hands to catch them, as everyone cheered and clapped in enjoyment, children screaming with glee, continuing to run riot while the adults did the same. Though, a much more muted version, they were _adults_ after all. 

Eden giggled, skirts hitched around her ankles and cheeks flushed from the warm night airs and strong brews, linking her elbow through Frodo's and twirling the two around, squealing in delight as she jumped over his feet, lest she step on one, the two grinning at each other with bright smiles, enjoying themselves as they danced around with other hobbits, uncaring if they looked like a fool or not.

However, out if the corner of Frodo's eye, he noticed Sam looking at Rosie, a hobbit that was currently spinning under Eden's long arm, wistfully, cradling his ale in his hands and sighing quietly into the loud night. Frodo kicked Eden's leg lightly, getting her attention before he danced over the the light-haired hobbit, slumping down on the seat next to him with a ' _oomph_ ' and smiled at him mischievously.

"Go on Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance."

He opened his mouth to reply, only to have another body throw themselves to the other side of them, wobbling on the seat with a giggle as Sam and Frodo both reached over to help steady the girl, pulling her upright. "Why are you sitting all the way over here, Sam? It's a party!" Eden hollered, throwing her hands up into the air, eyes slightly dazed due to the strong drink flowing through her veins.

"Well, it seems our Sam is feeling rather nervous about asking certain hobbit to dance." Sam shot a betrayed look over to his friend, eyes sour as Eden laughed disbelievingly, already knowing who they were talking about, wrapping her arm around his shoulders to bring him closer cheerfully as she gestured over to Rosie, who sent the girl a bright grin.

"Are you kidding? Sam she _wants_ to dance with _you_ , her eyes haven't strayed from you since the night began. C'mon now, on your feet."

"I think I’ll just have another ale." He ducked under Eden's arm, about to try to scurry away, but Frodo leapt up beside him quickly, hands bracing themselves over the light-haired hobbit and shoved him into the dancing fray. "Oh, no you don’t. Go on!" Sure enough, the second Sam fell into Rosie's arms she was dancing with him, not minding his awkward feet and instead kept a bright grin on her face, staring into his eyes kindly as his face bloomed pink.

Frodo and Eden shared a giggle, heads bent towards the other as they relaxed against the chair, before Eden turned to the shorter boy with mischief shining in her golden eyes. "Speaking about ale...should we get another?"

"Eden my friend, I was thinking the exact same thing!" He stood up, slapping his hands against his thighs as he stood up, turning around to bend at the waist, offering his hand with a sly smile to Eden, who pretended to swoon, and then laughed loudly, taking the offered appendage and using it to drag him behind her, running through the crowds cheerfully.

However, as they dashed through the hobbits, accidentally tripping some up or shoving them over the other, Eden somehow managed to lose him, and she was concerned for over two minutes, before she found another cup of ale and began to drink it, until she could no longer remember why she'd been so worried, beginning to dance the night away once more with some of the younger hobbits, who's laughs warmed her heart as she ground underneath their large feet because to tickle the pads of their toes, Eden's eyes glowing softly as the earth bent to her will.

Of course, with nights like these, something was always bound to go wrong. As suddenly a tent burst up into the sky, causing gasps as a bright orange firework whizzed up into the starry night, breaking apart in red sparks. Eden narrowed her eyes looking up at it, before realisation stepped in.

She knew _exactly_ what that firework was.

And sure enough, half way on its journey it turned and headed straight towards them, causing the hobbits to scream and shout in suprise, the light cascading down and showing their awed but terrified faces as they ran around.

Eden quickly hurled the kids behind her, bracing her shoeless feet against the ground and flung her arms up into the air, the grass growing thicker, taller and _stronger_ , shooting up into the air and pushing the belly of dragon of fireworks further up and away, no longer endangering the hobbits before she slumped to the ground, exhausted and the grass singed at her feet as everyone cheered. A mixture for her, and for the stunning lights that graced the sky a stunning red.

It wasn't that much of a surprise when Gandalf walked in front of her with a face like thunder, a smoky and slightly burnt Merry and Pippin being dragged behind him by the ears, shooting the girl a pleading look to help them only for her to laugh in their face, waving toward them mockingly. In all honesty, she was less upset about almost being set alight, and more put out that the two hadn't thought of adding her to their schemes.

"Speech! Bilbo speech!"

She twirled around, searching through the crowd and finally spotted the old hobbit, chuckling and bowing to his fellow neighbours kindly, before stepping up onto a barrel under the great tree and opened his arms welcomingly. "My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots."

"Proudfeet!" The hobbit snapped, smoking on his pipe with his namesake high in the air as everyone laughed. Eden shook her head at the man, clumsily stepping over every hobbit, until she found Frodo, sitting near the front of the crowd and slumping down next to him, sharing a grin with the boy as they linked arms once more.

"Today is my 111th birthday!"

The hobbits cheered, clapping their hands and stomping their feet, and Frodo and Eden were the loudest ones of all.

"But alas, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits. I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." Bilbo mumbled ominously, and quite possibly, drunkenly, as Eden giggled into the palm of her hand, watching as the hobbits looked around to each other, not knowing how to take the possible compliment or insult.

"I, uh, I have things to do-" He paused, whispering something inaudible to himself, fiddling with something that no one could see behind his back, before looking over at the crowd once more, his weathered face almost apologetic. "I regret to announce this is the end! I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell."

His eyes, heavy and haunted, drifted over to Frodo, who's smile had long since left as he stared up at his uncle in confusion, and Bilbo felt a swell of guilt burst up into his chest, at leaving the boy so defenceless. That was, of course, until Eden's hand curled around the boys shoulder, grounding and comforting, and when Bilbo met her golden eyes, she sent the hobbit a reassuring smile and nod. Her face telling him everything her mouth couldn't.

Bilbo smiled, at his fellow hobbits, but more to his nephew and friend as he whispered one more final "Goodbye." Before slipping the ring onto his finger, and disappearing into thin air.

The hobbits instantly burst out into a commotion, leaping from the chairs with frightened gasps that dissolved into frantic calls of his name as they looked around, eyes wide in shock and horror. Eden just managed to catch a glimpse of Gandalf, hat in hand making his way off someplace, no doubt to follow the Invisible hobbit and smiled to herself softly. _Took him long enough._

"Eden? Where did he go?" Frodo asked, turning towards the taller girl to look up at her, who patted his hand as gently as she could, standing herself up to look over the heads of the taller folk, watching as they searched every crevice of the party for the missing hobbit, under chairs, tables and tents and smirked.

"I think we both know the answer to that, my friend."

She looked down once again, to see Frodo's downtrodden look and paused, kneeling down to a knee to lift his head with her fingers, making eye contact with the boy and sending him a secret grin, golden eyes glowing with affection. "Go, I'll calm things down here. See if you can still catch him and say your goodbyes."

"Thankyou, Eden." He visibly sagged in relief, before standing up to shoulder through the anxious crowds, ducking and weaving his way through with politeness but, when time came for it, rudeness, wanting to get to back-end as quickly as possible, lest he miss his chance at goodbye. Eden watched him until he was out of view, before standing up on the very same barrel and bringing the hobbits attention over to her.

"Now, now, everyone needs to calm themselves down, the night is still young..."  
_________________________________________________

Barely half an hour later, she was walking up the steep hill to bag end, feet aching and body exhausted and wondering if Frodo had made it in time to see Bilbo off, but the sinking feeling in her gut told her other wise. She paused, looking up into the sky above her and frowning as a cold tremor wracked over her body, causing goosebumps to rise and her eyes to narrow. The earth felt...strange lately, _dark_ almost.

She was brought out out her musings by movement up ahead, and she just managed to identify the grey robes as Gandalf as he stormed towards her, pointy hat resting above his head and staff gripped tight in his clenched hands. She smiled for a moment, confused, but that slowly slipped off her face when she noticed his dark and frantic eyes. "Gandalf! Are you going so soon? I thought we-"

She was quickly interrupted by Gandalf laying a strong hand on her shoulder, bending down slightly so he was eye-level and giving the girl a grave and dangerous look. She only just realised how much the two of them were shaking. "Eden. I need you to promise me you'll stay here, keep it safe. Keep the both of them safe."

"What are you talking about?"

"Bilbo left something for Frodo, something I cannot take with me, lest I fall for it's dark whispers. I need you to stay here, I need you to make sure they both stay hidden." He told her seriously, voice barely louder than a whisper as he checked over his shoulder, as if expecting someone to be there, listening in, before he looked back down to his apprentice.

"Gandalf I-"

"Promise me, Eden! Promise me!" He shook her shoulders forcefully, his eyes distant but face drawn down in a desperate frown, moving his other hand to cup her other shoulder, the hard wood of his staff pressing into her joints painfully, causing her to hiss loudly to show her displeasure. "I promise!" She snapped, taking a step back and shoving his arms away, still looking at him in confusion.

"And you'll protect them?"

"With my life." Eden swore simply.

The old wizard visibly sagged, a weight lifted off his chest as he moved closer to the girl, an apology in his eyes at his rough treatment as he cupped her face with his hand gently, giving it an affectionate pat, before he moved, beginning to hurry himself down the hill, no longer in the mood for wasting time with such niceties, that was, until of course Eden called down to him, ominously.

"You feel it too, don't you?"

He paused, freezing in his tracks as his eyes clenched shut, in frustration or grief he couldn't tell. Of course she'd be able to feel it, if the earth below them could, so could she. She was so much more powerful that she'd ever hope to think, and it was only a matter of time before she realised it. "There's darkness afoot." Eden finished quietly, wrapping her arms around herself and looking out to the outskirts of the Shire, golden eyes glowing softly in the dark.

"Yes...I feel it too. Stay low, Eden. **And stay safe."** And then, quite like Bilbo, he was gone in the space of a blink. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You can't be serious."

**The next few days in Hobbiton were quiet, strange yes, most definitely, but quiet. Perhaps it was due to the loss of Bilbo from the Shire, who'd truly never lost his** **adventurous** **ways, though muted and selected at they were.** Or perhaps Eden was just looking too much into things, feeling on edge and tense ever since Gandalf's ominous warnings. She was now constantly looking over her shoulder for something she didn't even know about, keeping Frodo close by and hardly leaving Bag End. 

The earth felt _wrong_ lately, even more so over the past couple of days. Like it was no longer it's own. Whispers of mournful screams, of destruction, of _grief_ circled over her ears at night, haunting and terrifying and everytime she'd wake with sweat on her brow, tears falling from her golden eyes and chest **_burning_** with things she couldn't name, sobbing out whimpered gasps and desperately trying to figure out what the earth was telling her, what the earth was _warning_ her about. 

Something was happening over the vastness of the Shire, something that was spreading its darkness through the whole of middle-earth. 

Death was clinging to the earth and the ground like some sort of disgusting perfume. Frightful and _warm._ Like the heat before an explosion of fire, that would burn everything it its wake until everything would turn to _ash_. Something was coming over the horizon, and she had to be ready, she had to be powerful. Eden could do this, she could protect the both of them for now and even if she couldn't...she had to.

However, between all the angst, the young hobbit finally became tired of her paranoia, grabbing the girl by the arm and dragging her out the comfort of the hole he called home, all the while Eden kicked up a fuss, trying to convince the hobbit that when Gandalf said 'stay hidden' he probably meant from everyone, including the others he called friends but Frodo wasn't having any of it as he pulled her down the hill, and, to not quite her surprise, the outside of the Green Dragon. Better referred to as a pub in all honesty.

So, she allowed it, cradling a small ale in her large hands, sitting quite away from the chaos the hobbits were creating as they danced away on tables, singing their songs as loudly as their lungs would allow them, a small, fond smile curled over her lips as she watched them, declining Merry's invitation for a dance as he wiggled his brows over to her, gesturing for her to come over. Instead she rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder, before standing and sitting closer to the others as they cheered.

"Ah there she is! Our favourite tall person!"

Pippin laughed joyfully, swinging his ale mug around, not caring for the way it spilled over his fingers leaving them sticky and wet and even spilling onto the floor below him as he clumsily lifted it towards her in a toast as Eden chuckled. "We've hardly seen you since Gandalf left!"

"Oh hush now. You don't always need my help to pull of whatever scheme you're thinking of now, do you?" She asked rhetorically, twirling her green tinted finger into her own drink and smiling up at the hobbit as he frowned, lips pursed as he tried to think of what to say, something that wouldn't insult the girl, or downplay his and his cousins ability to cause mayhem in the Shire, before his eyes lit up and his clicked his fingers towards her.

"Perhaps not. But you certainly make things easier!" He cheered, before Merry came up onto the table and swung his cousin around for a dance, dissolving into giggles and chuckles, the two forgetting Eden as quickly as they'd noticed her as they made fools of themselves, their faces flushed and the strong drink running through their veins making them uncoordinated.

She watched them for a few moments, making sure they didn't fall, only for her eyes to be dragged over to Frodo as he danced towards them, circling over the table again and again, encouraging the terrible two with four mugs of ale balanced between his fingers and hands, sploshing around inside the cup as he sun along with them happily, sending the crowd into hysterics as she simply shook her head in amusement.

"There's been some strange folk crossing the Shire. Dwarves and others of a less than savory nature."

Eden's pointed ear twitched against her head, smile quickly slipping from her face as she caught the older hobbits observation coming from the table behind her, bringing her attention over to them as she began to drum her green-tinted fingers anxiously against her leg, focusing on the scratchy fabric of her skirt pressing onto her thigh to try and ground her as she slowly turned around on her seat to listen in.

"War is brewing. The mountains are fair teeming with goblins." Another chimed in, causing the girls jaw to tense, bringing her ale up to her lips and taking a greedy gulp, trying to calm her shaking hands as the earth rumbled and cracked slightly, under her feet, feeling the beginning of her fear and reacting in kind. "Far-off tales and children's stories, that's all that is. You're beginning to sound like that old Bilbo Baggins. Cracked he was."

Frodo strolled past the faerie, knocking her shoulder with his hip to get her attention, jerking his head over to the table full of the mumbling hobbits with a bright grin on his face, desperately trying to make his friend feel better, and knowing that isolating herself wouldn't help in the slightest. Eden sighed a heavy sigh, taking one final gulp of the strong drink before standing alongside him, and the two strolled over to the table who'd seen them coming.

"Young Mr. Frodo here, he's cracking."

"And proud of it. Cheers, Gaffer." Frodo replied indignantly, ignoring the fond teasing as he slumped to his seat, and sliding the drinks along the table as Eden took her place beside Sam, yanking on his dark blonde curls to bring his eyes back over to the table instead of where they'd been oogling respectfully at Rosie.

"Cheers!"

"Aye. Well it's none of our concern what goes on beyond our borders. Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble'll come to you." A hobbit leaned forward, lifting his pipe to smoke it and adding onto the the gentle fogginess of the air, unaware that his ominous warning weighed so heavy on certain minds. Over his head, Eden and Frodo exchanged concerned glances. _They both didn't think it was as easy as that._

They stayed for a few more hours, listening to the conversations around them and joining in when necessary, but Eden's mind was elsewhere, constantly shifting on her seat, focusing on the earth beneath her feet and grounding herself to it, feeling pain and strife and still not knowing where it was coming from or why it was calling out so desperately to her. Finally however, the bar closed and every hobbit called it a night as they stumbled out, one after the other with grins on their faces.

"Good night, lads. And lasses, of course." Rosie murmured softly, smiling up at each one of them but, upon seeing Sam, it transformed into a much more gentle and secret one as her eyes twinkled, looking at the man as if he were the only person in the whole of the earth. Eden rolled her golden eyes, how the hobbit still couldn't see her affections were beyond her.

"Good night." Sam whispered back as Eden pushed them along in front of her, wanting to get back to Bag End as quickly as she could, only for Sam to pause as, from over his shoulder, another elder hobbit got down oh his knees drunkenly, staring up as Rosie with eyes shining like the moon as he hiccuped, "Good night, sweet maiden of the Golden Ale."

"Boy, mind who you're sweet-talkin'." Sam mumbled, only to have the taller girl push his shoulder along with a giggle.

"Let's not start a bar fight, Sam. I happen to know that most hobbits aren't against fighting dirty." She whispered conspicuously, grinning at the roll of his eyes. Frodo, however, took a different and more comforting approach, elbowing Eden out of the way gently so he could soothe his friends mind as the taller woman continued to cause mischief. "Don't worry, Sam. Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one."

"Does she?" The hobbit whispered, stopping still on the road as Eden strolled over to him, leaning an nonchalant arm against his shoulder as she sighed dramatically, watching Frodo walk off in front of them. "That doesn't bode well for you now, does it?"

"Oh, stop it you." Sam snapped though not unkindly, shoving the taller girls arm from his shoulder as he hurried to catch up with his friend, hearing her snorting laughter following behind him as she caught up to the two, sliding in between them as they climbed up the hill to Bag End, talking amongst themselves quietly, the mixture of the darkness of the night and the alr running through their bodies weighing heavily on their eyes and making them sleepy.

They finally got to the gate of their home, and Eden ran her fingers through Sam's hair affectionately as she stumbled past him, Frdo following after her with a gentle smile, shaking his head in amusement as she struggled up the stairs, moving to grab her arm and help her up. "G'night, Sam."

"Good night, Mr. Frodo. Ms. Eden." The hobbit replied formally, waiting by the gate as they walked up the steps, and only continuing his journey home once they got to the door, assuring him of their safety.

However, the moment they stepped inside, Eden jerked into alertness, body becoming still and taught, like a spring pulled too tight and ready to snap as she looked around, golden eyes glowing through the darkness hauntingly, giving off a frightful image indeed. Frodo moved, as if to step further inside, only to be quickly pushed back, "don't. Something isn't right." She whispered quietly.

The window was open, blowing papers across the floor of Bilbo's study, showing the evidence that someone had been inside and looking for someone or...most likely, _something._

"Frodo. Get behind me, now." Eden snapped quickly, voice no longer a sweet lisp, instead venom curled around her lips like threatening ivy as she pushed the hobbit behind her, the thorned vine she used as a necklace sliding down the slope of her neck and trailing down, down, down until it wrapped around the palm of her hand like a whip, her golden eyes narrowed and dark as she stalked further into the home.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the shadows, clutching onto the young hobbits shoulder and spinning him around to face the mysterious stranger. Who wasn't quite a stranger at all. But upon hearing Frodo's gasp, Eden quickly twirled around, vine whipping through the air threateningly, but stopping a mere inch from Gandalf's sweaty and terrified face as she recognised him, but he didn't even spare her a glance.

"Is it secret?! Is it safe?!" He whispered in his rough, gravelly tone, shaking the boy by the shoulders as his eyes flickered from place to place anxiously, as if expecting something to pop up and drag him to the depths of hell, unaware of his apprentice's dark gaze.

"Gandalf! Enough! You're scaring him!" Eden shouted, taking in the hobbits wide eyes and pale face as he stared up at the old wizard, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to expel the words out from his tongue but coming up empty as the tall man glared down at him urgently, his tone biting as he hissed through clenched teeth. "Tell me!"

"I said _**enough.**_ "

The floor underneath their feet rumbled with warning, golden eyes flickering with a certain kind of danger as she looked her mentor dead in the eye, raw power radiating from her being in a faint, green glow, causing the elderly wizard to loosen his grip, an apology to the both of them in his eyes, allowing Frodo to slip away and jog towards a trunk and quickly began to rummage through it. Gandalf following just behind him, hands clenched tightly around his staff while Eden quickly ran for the door, slamming in shut.

Frodo finally found what he was looking for, fingers clasping around the envelope gifted to him by Bilbo, holding it out to the wizard who snatched it out of his grip, and without a moment's hesitation, threw it atop of the glowing fire. Frodo and Eden exchanged glances, before the hobbit ran to his side to look at the burning paper in confusion.

"What are you doing?!" He snapped, just at the same time that Edwn asked, "Gandalf, are you alright?" But they were both ignored as he stared into the fire, a pair of tongs set, reading in his shaking hands, and Eden only caught a glint of something _gold_ before Gandalf lunged forward, removing whatever it was from the flames with a grunt.

"Hold out your hand, Frodo. It's quite cool."

"Wait a moment-" Eden called out in concern, only to watch, dumbfounded, as a ring was dropped into the palm of the hobbits hand who lurched forward, expecting pain but only feeling the gentle warmth, not burning him, or causing pain even though he knew fine well it should of been. Just what in the middle-earth was that thing?

"What can you see? Can you see anything?" Gandalf whispered ominously, standing slowly and heeding the faerie off to the side, seemingly ignoring his apprentice as her head swirled and eyes flickered from place to place, searching desperately for answers that she wasn't being given and feeling rather sore about it. Was she not privy to what was going on? She felt like she should be.

"Nothing. There's nothing." Frodo murmured, unable to take his eyes away from the golden object as he twirled it over and over again, dancing it over his fingers as he examined it closely, unable to hear Gandalf as he sighed in relief, a small smile lifting his lips and grey eyes closing for just a moment as a weight was lifted off his chest, until, or course, Frodo's voice filled the silence once more. "Wait. There are markings. It's some form of Elvish. I can't read it."

"Perhaps I can try-" Eden stepped forward helpfully, hand outstretched in front of her but just as Frodo went to drop the ring into his friends hand, hers was quickly slapped away by Gandalf's staff as he looked at the both of them gravely, voice rough and baritone as he finally looked at his apprentice. "No, Eden. There are few who can. The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here."

"Beg pardon?"

"Mordor?" The two gasped at the same time, looking at the taller man with grave and bewildered expressions, not even soaring the other a glance in their shock as Gandalf turned to face them once more, his eyes trained on the ring resting in Frodo's hand with a faraway look etched on his aged face. "In the common tongue, it says: _'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them._ '"

"Oh, that doesn't sound good."  
_________________________________________________

The ring rested on the wooden table of their dining table, Eden standing off in the corner of the room, resting against a shelf with her arms crossed and gaze dark as she glared over at it, far away from the destructive thing and wanting nothing to do with it. All the while Gandalf and Frodo casually ate and drank tea over it, smoke from the old wizards pipe cascading over the table. "This is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom, taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself."

"Bilbo found it- in Gollum's cave." Frodo whispered in revelation, holding the warm cup between his steady hands, but unable to take a sip as he looked down at its golden glow. "Yes. For sixty years, the Ring has lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor."

At this he paused, and looked over to Eden who's eyes glowed in the dark of the room warningly, staring at the ring with her lips curled up into a snarl. She knew what the promise of _power_ did to beings, weak and strong minded creatures alike, it had been her own kind's devastation, and she would not allow herself to follow their legacy. She'd be stronger, she'd be resilient.

"Eden has felt its cruel touches. The earth has been trying to warn her for a long time now, and I foolishly ignored her concerns...The Ring has awoken. It's heard it's master's _call_."

"But he was destroyed. Sauron was destroyed."

"Evidently not." The faerie snapped, her metaphorical hackles raised as the earth rumbled underneath her feet, unconsciously answering her terror and terrible anger, awaiting its command as Gandalf quickly shushed the boy, eyeing the ring nervously before snapping his gaze over to his apprentice. "Calm yourself, Eden. Before you cave in the whole of Bag End."

The wizard, after awaiting a few moments for the girl to catch her breath and reign her emotions in, slowly turned to look at Frodo, leaning in closer, chest brushing against the short table as he lowered his pipe to the side of him.

"No, Frodo. The Spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring, and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His Orcs have multiplied. His fortress of Barad-dur is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness. He is seeking it- seeking it. All his thought is bent on it. The Rings yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one- the Ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo...he must never find it."

The hobbit leaped up onto his large feet, grasping the ring and folding it into the palm of his hand as he left the dining room as Edwn flinched away from the sudden movement, being broken out of her trance to follow after the boy, still keeping a somewhat great distance between them. "All right. We put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again. No one knows it's here, do they?" He asked, before realization slowly crept in as he turned around the face the old wizard.

"Do they Gandalf?"

"There is one other who knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum, but the enemy found him _first_." He murmured gravely, able to see Eden's distressed look out of the corner of his eyes as she cradled her head into her hands, sighing in anguish. "I don't know how long they tortured him. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words. Shire...and Baggins."

"Shire? Baggins? But that would lead them here!" Frodo gasped, just as a chill swept across Eden's spine who quickly spun around on her heel, head pounding in tandem with her heart as she cast a suspicious glance towards the window, golden eyes wild. Something told her that they already _were_. She turned back to the other occupants in the room, hands held out peacefully in front of her as she spoke gently, "Frodo, please try and stay calm, you-"

"Take it, Gandalf! Eden!" Frodo didn't listen to a word as he interrupted her, holding the ring out towards them, the faerie quickly stumbled away from it snarling viciously, the thorned vine that had now wrapped around her wrist tightening its hold until blood swelled under her skin, hot and _venomous_ as it dripped down her hand and onto the wooden structures underneath them, _burning_ through the floorboards steadily.

"Take it! please!" He begged as Gandalf staged away, trying his best to stay calm as his head knocked off the archway, eyes clenching shut in frustration as the frantic hobbit continued to hurl his begs and pleas. "No, Frodo. You cannot offer me this Ring!"

"Frodo! _Stop it_ for heaven's sake!" Eden cried, watching the back and forth with shaking hands, sticking to the safety of the kitchen where she was far away from the _vile_ thing being held up between his thumb and pointer finger, golden eyes turning as dark and stormy as the night sky hanging overhead.

"I'm giving it to you."

"Don't tempt me Frodo!" The wizard finally yelled, eyes wild and chest heaving, watching with almost apologetic grace as the small hobbit yanked his hand back fearfully, staring down at the dark-haired boy, before he slowly trailed his gaze down to the ring. "...I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe. Understand, Frodo, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good, but through me, it would wield a power to great nad terrible to imagine."

"But it _cannot_ stay in the Shire!"

"No. No it can't." Gandalf stepped closer to the boy, and watched his face shift in confusion for the barest hint of a second before understanding took its place, acceptance overpowering his apprehension as he slowly curled the ring into his hand safely, bringing it to his chest, resting just above his heart as he stared back at the wizard. "What must I do?

"Gandalf, there _must_ be another way. You can't expect him to do this by himself." Eden called out, storming out of the safety of the kitchen, her expression open and wide with shock, looking off into the direction the hobbit was quickly packing his things, grabbing clothes and supplies of all sorts as she panicked to herself frantically. The boy hardly reached her midriff, how was he to protect himself? Especially without any sort of training?

"You're right, I don't." He said calmly, looking down his nose at his apprentice as she dragged her gaze back over to him in confusion, and, upon seeing the look in his eyes, her face dropped in realisation. "You can't be serious."

"Eden, you are more than equipped to protect him on his journey." Gandalf began, stepping closer to the faerie who'd already started shaking her head frantically, moving further back into Bilbo's study with a snarl against her lips, resisting the urge to slam her fingers into her ears to stop hearing the words spewing out of his mouth as she hissed.

"I don't want to be even a foot close to that thing. You can't ask this of me!"

The old wizard lay a strong hand onto her shoulder, turning her so she faced him as he bent slightly at the knee, so he was eye level with his appreciate, looking at her earnestly with eyes filled with fatherly adoration. "You are not the mistakes of your kind, Eden. You will not succumb to the pursuit of power, that is not who you are, it will never be who you are. I ask this of you because I know that you are strong enough to protect the hobbit, you are the only one I can trust with such a task."

"I'm not as strong as you think you think I am."

"You're correct. You're even _**stronger.**_ "

Eden closed her eyes for a moment, just a moment as the strong sense or terrifying fear rushed dangerously through her veins, clogging her lungs, her chest and her stomach with anxieties and making it difficult to breathe as she stood there, trying to catch her breath, until she opened her eyes and met Frodo's, who was staring at her worridly over the elderly wizards side and she came to her decision.

"You best pack some more food, Mr. Frodo, I doubt that _that_ will be enough for the both of us." She told him confidently, watching as his eyes lit up and he rushed back off to the kitchen quickly. She shared a look with Gandalf, her fear hadn't suddenly disappeared, in fact, in felt _stronger_ but, at that moment in time, her desire to care for her friend was greater.

She could do this, protect the both of them. And even if she couldn't... _she had too._


End file.
